Choosing between PDF and PNG can be confusing, especially when you need the right format for documents, images, or online sharing. Using the wrong one can lead to poor quality, oversized files, limited editability, or accessibility issues.
The main PNG vs. PDF difference is that the former is an image format while the latter is a document format. This further differentiates them in terms of file size, quality and resolution, editability, accessibility, and archiving.
In this guide, we’ll break down those differences clearly, help you decide when to use PDF vs. PNG, and show you how to convert between them easily online.
Key Takeaways
- PNG, short for Portable Network Graphics, is an image format that uses lossless compression and supports variable transparency.
- PDF, short for Portable Document Format, is a format that presents multi-page content consistently across devices, operating systems, and software.
- PNG and PDFs differ in terms of file size, quality and resolution, editability, printing quality, accessibility, and archiving.
- You should use PNG for logos, icons, buttons, charts, diagrams, interface elements, screenshots, and scanned images with flat colors, sharp edges, and text.
- The PDF format is more suitable for contracts, invoices, reports, proposals, manuals, and fillable forms.
What Is a PNG File?
A PNG file is an image format that was designed to replace the GIF format; its name is short for Portable Network Graphics. It stores images as a grid of pixels rather than scalable shapes.
PNG displays images reliably across platforms without licensing restrictions. It uses lossless compression, so when it is edited, saved, or reopened multiple times, there is no reduction in its quality. Therefore, it‘s highly efficient for web graphics with flat colors, sharp edges, or text.
One of the most important features of PNG is transparency; it can have a fully transparent or partially transparent background. This is why PNG files are commonly used for logos, icons, and overlays. They are also used for screenshots, scanned documents, and charts.
What Is a PDF File?
A PDF file is a document format developed to present content exactly the same way on any device, operating system, or software. PDF stands for Portable Document Format and is best known for its ability to lock text, images, spacing, and the structure of a page in place.
It also supports multiple pages within a single file, so it is suitable for long documents like reports and manuals. On the other hand, in an interactive PDF, you can include features such as searchable text, hyperlinks, bookmarks, annotations, and digital signatures.
Due to all of these characteristics, Common use cases for PDFs include fillable forms, contracts, invoices, legal agreements, resumes, proposals, and academic papers.
PNG vs. PDF: 7 Key Differences Explained
Now that you know what each file is, here’s a quick PNG vs. PDF comparison:
PNG | ||
|---|---|---|
File size | Can be large, especially with high-resolution images | Often smaller, but can still grow in size if long and interactive |
Quality and resolution | Has a fixed resolution | Doesn’t have a fixed resolution |
Multi-page support | Single page | Multiple pages in a single file |
Editability | Requires advanced editing software to redraw or replace parts | Direct edits don’t alter the original layout Many editing options, from rearranging pages to adding textboxes |
Printing output | Can appear pixelated if rescaled to be larger than it was originally | Professional output with sharpness preserved, regardless of resizing |
Accessibility | Largely inaccessible unless applying OCR | Can meet accessibility standards and support screen readers |
Archiving | Preserves only images | Preserves all content via PDF/A |
However, to understand these PNG vs. PDF differences better, let’s examine each one in more detail.
#1. File Size
The PNG vs. PDF file size difference depends on what it includes and how it is used. A high-resolution PNG image can be large because it stores data as pixels and uses lossless compression.
On the other hand, PDF stores text as characters rather than pixels, and the images within the file can be compressed. As a result, PDF files with text and images are often much smaller than PNGs with the same content.
However, a PDF with mostly high-resolution images can still be large. Also, the size increases if it’s interactive and contains many pages, with embedded fonts, vector graphics, annotations, form fields, and digital or electronic signatures.
#2. Quality and Resolution
In terms of PNG vs. PDF quality, the latter is better for scaling, printing, and displaying images consistently across devices, while the former is better when you need pixel-perfect precision.
Since PNG uses lossless compression, it doesn't discard any data and preserves the original dimensions of images. This makes it ideal for graphics, screenshots, and images that prioritize precision. However, if you enlarge a PNG too much, it will lose sharpness.
In contrast, text and graphics in a PDF are resolution-independent, so they stay sharp at any size. While images inside a PDF have fixed resolutions, they can be optimized separately without affecting the content's clarity. You can maintain quality across formats and zoom levels.
#3. Multi-Page Support
If you want to have several pages in the PNG format, you need to save each as a separate image file. This means storing, sharing, and file organization are a lot more difficult. On the other hand, PDF is designed to handle many pages in a single file. That is why it is very easy to find PDF e-books, reports, and manuals.
Also, PDFs support a multi-page structure, so they include features like page navigation, page numbering, bookmarks, etc. These aren't available for PNGs unless you have external tools or viewers with advanced capabilities.
#4. Editability
You can easily edit a PDF, but not a PNG. This is because PNG files contain content that has been merged together, and therefore, requires you to redraw or replace any changes that you want to make with editing software.
PDF files keep text, images, and other elements separate from one another, so you can update and interact with the content and alter the original layout. This is also why most people choose to create PDF templates instead of PNG templates.
#5. Printing Output
The PDF format preserves page dimensions, margins, fonts, objects, etc., and keeps everything crisp when you print your document. However, this is not always the case with a PNG; if you resize it to be larger than it was originally, it will print out blurry. Therefore, when comparing PNG vs. PDF for printing, PDF takes the win.
#6. Accessibility
PDF is better than PNG for accessibility because it stores text as real, readable characters instead of pixels, which can be interpreted by screen readers and searched and selected by users.
PDFs also have tags that guide those using assistive technologies. Unfortunately, PNGs don’t have the same structural and semantic information. As such, they are largely inaccessible unless OCR is applied, and even then, accuracy varies depending on the images’ quality.
#7. Archiving
It is important to consider archival capabilities when choosing PNG or PDF because many documents, especially electronically signed ones, need to be accurate, readable, and verifiable over time.
PDF has archival standards like PDF/A to ensure that documents remain legible even when there are software or system changes. PNG files don’t have these, although they do preserve individual images.
When to Use PNG Files?
You should use PNG files in several situations, such as:
- Creating logos, icons, buttons, badges, and other web graphics that have a transparent background
- Needing image sharpness when scaled smaller, and a consistent display on every device
- Storing designs that will have to be edited and saved more than once
In all of the above mentioned instances, PNG is better than PDF because it uses lossless compression, which doesn’t reduce quality when the file is saved or edited. However, when compared to PDF, PNG still has some limitations. PNG files are single images, so they can't contain multiple pages, interactive elements, or structured text that can be selected and searched without OCR.
When Is It Better to Use PDF Files?
It is better to use PDF files when you are:
- Creating documents that span multiple pages and require a fixed layout, like contracts, proposals, agreements, reports, and manuals
- Filling out forms that need to be signed digitally
- Sharing searchable documents and archiving files that must remain readable as time passes
PDF is appropriate for these cases because it is designed for documents rather than images. It keeps text editable and selectable, supports multiple pages and interactive elements like fields and signatures, and preserves layout for sharing, printing, and long-term storage.
However, it is less suitable for simple graphics, icons, or images that require transparency over different backgrounds.
How to Convert from PNG to PDF and Vice Versa
You can convert from PNG to PDF and vice versa with PDF.net. You won’t have to install any software since the tool is fully browser-based, and the interface is incredibly intuitive, so everything can be done in a few clicks.
PNG to PDF Conversion
Here is how to use our PNG-to-PDF tool:
- Go to PDF.net and hover over Convert at the top of the page.
- Select PNG to PDF and upload your PNG file.
- Click Edit PDF or Download PDF, depending on what you want to do after the conversion.
If you choose to edit the PDF, there are many other helpful tools that you can use. For example, you can rearrange the pages, add annotations, and insert fillable fields.
PDF to PNG Conversion
On the other hand, if you want to convert PDF to PNG, follow these steps:
- Click PDF to PNG under Convert in the toolbar on PDF.net’s homepage.
- Select PNG and then Convert to PNG.
PDF.net uses HTTPS connections to protect your data while you are uploading, editing, and downloading your files. Shortly after processing, the editor deletes your information to prevent unauthorized access.
Convert Your Files Easily With PDF.net
It is easy to convert between formats with our online editor; you just need a reliable Internet connection to go through the entire process in a few minutes. If your files aren’t ready for a direct conversion, we can still help.
You can use our tools to merge multiple PNG images and then convert them to PDF, or split a PDF into individual pages and then convert selected ones into PNG images.
Also, PDF.net offers AI-powered features, such as Chat PDF, Summarize PDF, and Translate PDF, to help you review your PDF more efficiently.
Final Thoughts
Now that you understand the key PNG vs. PDF format differences, you will know exactly when to use each one and make the most of each file format’s strengths. If you need to convert your images or documents online, remember that our online editor is here to help. Also, we have other tools that you can use for prepping and polishing your files.
PNG vs. PDF FAQs
#1. Can I convert a PDF to PNG without losing quality?
Yes, you can convert a PDF to PNG without losing quality by exporting at a sufficiently high resolution. However, keep in mind that the content becomes pixel-based once converted, so text and vector elements will no longer scale as cleanly.
#2. Which is better for printing, PDF or PNG?
PDF is better than PNG for printing and professional output. It preserves the layout and size of the page(s), as well as the fonts, images, and other elements within the document.
#3. Is PNG better than PDF for web images?
Yes, PNG is better than PDF for web pages, especially for those that need variable transparency. However, if you need to show images in a specific sequential order, embedding PDFs into websites is more appropriate.
#4. Can PDFs contain PNG images?
Yes, PDFs can contain PNG images. Usually, they are included inside PDFs along with text, graphics, and other image formats to create complete, well-structured content.